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Mixing HO and OO Scenery / Figures

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  • Member since
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  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
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Posted by dknelson on Friday, June 16, 2017 10:41 AM

The size difference between HO and OO is more noticeable when you can compare actual American rolling stock prototypes to each other.    British OO rolling stock models look good with our HO because the overall heft and bulk are similar.  Ditto for vehicles.  But if you ever see some old American OO cars or locomotives you'll immediately note the size difference.  Once you see that difference you'd be less tempted to use OO figures.

It isn't often that we want structures or figures to be larger than 1/87 HO, but it is common to want slightly smaller structures and figures for some forced perspective.  I have seen figures sold as HO which look small to me, but since there are structures out there which are actually closer to 1/8" scale, there is a role for such figures.  You just don't have the different sizes stand next to each other or you'll give the 1/8" scale guys an inferiority complex and we can't have that.

Some OO structures should be usable in HO although now and then you may want to do some surgery on the doors to make them more plausible for 1/87.

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
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  • From: Culpeper, Va
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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, June 16, 2017 10:27 AM

My problem goes the other way.  I'm in S scale and the OO people are just too small - although I can use them in the background for forced perspective.

I have found that people and people related things like doors and stairs are the hardest to use from other scales.

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
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  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
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Posted by DSchmitt on Thursday, June 15, 2017 11:25 PM

I did some calcs and a graphic comparison and now agree with the other posters OO scale figures are generally too big. If the figure represents a short person it might be useable mixed with HO.  Also OO scale figures might work in the foreground if not in proximity to HO figures. 

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, June 15, 2017 5:25 PM

I have tons of OO detail parts, and have no problems about using them. Carts, wheelbarrows, culverts, walls, cabinets, desks, etc. all come in various shapes and sized in the real world, and OO details mix in great. The variety alone is worth it.

.

People are another story. It is a funny thing about how the eye percieves things. Even though real humans come in all shapes and sizes, it does not look right on a model unless all men are 6 foot and all women are 5 foot 6 inches.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

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  • From: Southern California
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Posted by Lone Wolf and Santa Fe on Thursday, June 15, 2017 5:20 PM

I don’t mix them because 1/76 figures look like giants. It might work for a football or basketball team but they are too big to be standing side by side with 1/87 scale figures. Very old Preiser figures (yellow paper) are 1/90. They work because they are only an inch different instead of a foot. At the most I would put 1/76 figures in the extreme foreground and not have any other figures near them. I really wished they worked because you can’t find good cowboys or horses with western saddles in 1/87 scale and there are some really cool ones in 1/76.

I think you will find nicer office furniture and employees in 1/87 being made by Preiser, Faller or Noch.

Modeling a fictional version of California set in the 1990s Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Railroad
  • Member since
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  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
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Posted by DSchmitt on Thursday, June 15, 2017 2:43 PM

The figures are probably closer to OO (1/76) than HO (1/87) 

However people come in all sizes. So difference should not be notieable.  

Military models often recommend against mixing different scales of military figures because things like buckles, packs, wepons, etc are standard sizes and differance can be obvious especially at the larger scales. 

Not a problem with civilians in smaller scales. This also applies to buildings, but generally not to vehicles. OO scale vehicles can sometimes work if not placed in proximity to HO vehicles

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 25 posts
Mixing HO and OO Scenery / Figures
Posted by Bay Area Brad on Thursday, June 15, 2017 2:18 PM

Hello all...

I'm perusing a site that is listing some scenery items I'm interested in...office furniture, workers, etc. They are listing it as "HO/OO". While I know the minor difference in scale, I thought I would see what the vets here say about it...yea or nay?

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